MORROW, GA.—TOTO USA, a leader in premium high-efficiency plumbing products and green manufacturing practices, announced that it has further expanded its sustainable logistics initiatives by adding UPS’s new carbon neutral shipping program to its energy-efficient supply chain. Globally, TOTO is the first major company to do so.
Adding UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program to its sustainability practices enables TOTO to offset the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the transport of its small package shipments within the United States. A deciding factor in TOTO’s decision to adopt UPS’s new initiative is the fact that UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program is verified and certified by independent third-party testing companies, a process that TOTO employs to validate its own high-efficiency products and environmental sustainability programs. TOTO expects to ship 75,000 carbon neutral packages in the first year.
TOTO exceeds many standards for green manufacturing in its five North American plants—as well as in the more than 80 TOTO manufacturing facilities around the world. Not only are these plants approaching ‘Water Neutral’ status, they have reduced all waste streams to nearly zero.
Some Examples of TOTO Initiatives
• Imperfect and damaged china is crushed for roadbed and construction.
• Post-industrial gray water is recycled to reduce potable water consumption.
• Kilns use pulse fire technology and reuse exhaust heat from the firing process.
• Green electricity from a gas-fired generator uses methane produced at a local landfill.
• Biodegradable soybean-based oils reduce reliance on carbon-based lubricants in all hydraulic systems.
• Plastics, aluminum, glass, cardboard, brass, pallets, and computer equipment are recycled.
• Water and electricity use is reduced to the minimum.
• Employees are encouraged to bring their recyclables to the plant if the city where they live does not provide recycling service.
• All TOTO facilities are ISO 14001:2004 certified.
“TOTO’s passionate commitment to environmental stewardship began with its incorporation in Japan nearly 100 years ago,” says Lenora Campos, Ph.D., company spokesperson. “It is part of our DNA. Our dedication to protecting the planet’s natural resources is at the heart of everything we do, from product design to manufacturing to logistics. We use less and recycle more than any other plumbing manufacturers. TOTO is proud to be the first company worldwide to incorporate UPS’s carbon neutral initiative into our small package supply chain.”
Offsets Purchased on TOTO’s Behalf
The new UPS program buys offsets on TOTO’s behalf, which financially support environmentally responsible projects. These projects include reforestation, wastewater treatment, methane destruction, and landfill gas destruction, among others, and help mitigate the effect of TOTO’s shipping on the environment.
“We’ve heard from our customers that they wanted a way to reduce the climate impact of their supply chains and UPS carbon neutral shipping does just that,” said Bob Stoffel, the UPS senior vice president who is responsible for sustainability. “TOTO has been a long-time UPS customer and is known for their innovation and commitment to sustainable design. This was a perfect match with our expertise and their sustainability objectives.”
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